CarL1 Down East Wood Ducks

July 27 Game Information

Published on July 27, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Down East Wood Ducks News Release


Today the Wood Ducks (22-13, 72-33) and Blue Rocks (18-17, 62-42) play the middle game of the three game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. when the Wood Ducks send right-hander Alex Eubanks (8-3, 2.51) faces off with Wilmington lefty Kris Bubic (3-2, 3.13). It's first responder appreciation day at Grainger Stadium, where all first responders will be granted admission free of charge, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a first responders cap, presented by Lenoir Community College. The broadcast will begin at 5:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online on 960thebull.com as well as on the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps. For tickets and more information visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172. Complete game notes are attached.

LAST TIME OUT: The Wood Ducks struck for three runs in the first in-ning on their way to a 5-2 victory over Wilmington. JP Martinez tallied two hits and drove in three, while Curtis Terry and Bubba Thompson also added RBI singles. Sam Huff doubled and scored extending his hitting streak to 14. Scott Engler faced the minimum in three innings in relief to earn the win, while Cole Uvila struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Wood Ducks have outscored opponents 63-27 in the first inning of games this season. Down East has scored first in 66 of their 105 games this season, going 53-13 (.803) in those contests.

NO RUNS FOR YOU!: The Wood Ducks 1-0 win over the Mudcats, Thursday, was their 17th shutout win of the season, and sixth 1-0 victory. Down East boasts a 2.62 team ERA this season which leads all of Minor League Baseball, while their 17 shutouts are also tied for the most in MiLB with the Quad Cities River Bandits in the Midwest League. Since team ERA records began being kept in 2005, no MiLB team has finished a season with an ERA below 2.65.

BASHIN BUBBA: Bubba Thompson tripled, homered, and drove in a career-high three runs Sunday. Since coming off the injured list, he has hit safely in nine of his last ten games 11-35 (.314) over that stretch with two home runs, seven RBI and four stolen bases. Thomp-son hit eight home runs in 84 games played, stealing 32 bases for the Hickory Crawdads in 2018.

SUPER SAM: Sam Huff has now hit safely in 14 straight games going 16-43 (.372), with four home runs, 7 RBI, 9 walks, 13 strikeouts dating back to July 9. Huff joins Curtis Terry and Yanio Perez as Wood Ducks to have hitting streaks of 10 games or more this season. All three streaks have come in the second half of play.

TERRY ON A TEAR: Curtis Terry has now hit safely in 27 of his last 30 games, including 11 multi-hit games. He is now sporting a .943 OPS since joining Down East, June 21. Within that stretch was a 12-game hit streak (19-44, .432) which came to an end last Saturday, Terry now has 19 home runs on the season combined with his time in Hickory.

MAGNIFICENT MENDEZ: Sal Mendez has been excellent for the Wood Ducks this season, especially since joining the starting rotation. Mendez leads the Carolina League with a 2.05 ERA, and as a starter that mark is just 1.54. Seven of Mendez' 11 starts have been quality outings, and he has given up just three earned run in 25 innings (1.08 ERA) over four starts in July.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH: It hasn't just been the Wood Ducks who have performed well this season, the Rangers organization as a whole has been among the best

1. Tampa Bay Rays 353-258 .578

2. TEXAS RANGERS 332-249 .571

3. Pittsburgh Pirates 337-269 .556

CUP OF JOE: Joe Kuzia has been tremendous out of the bullpen for the Wood Ducks since joining the club May 9. He has converted 15 of 16 save opportunities in addition to picking up a trio of wins in relief. Kuzia put together a 19-inning scoreless streak from 5/19-6/26. Overall this season he boasts an ERA of 0.79 and a WHIP of 1.02. Kuzia now ranks second in the Carolina League in saves, with all 15 coming since May 26. Kuzia has not allowed a run in 21 of his 24 appearances this season.

THE FUTURE IS HERE: Sam Huff clubbed a game-tying home run in the seventh inning of the SiriusXM Futures Game on Sunday to take home MVP honors. Huff becomes the second Ranger all-time to take home the award, joining Joey Gallo (2014). Huff followed it up by hitting a home run his first game back in Myrtle Beach, and clubbed another Friday against Lynchburg, and one more Sunday against Winston-Salem.

HOW 'BOUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE: The 3,250 fans at Grainger Stadium Wednesday mark the most at a game this season, and third most in Wood Ducks history. Down East had a record 4,217 at the inaugural game, April 10, 2017, and drew 3,491 July 3, 2018.

A HALF FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS: The Down East Wood Ducks became just the sixth team in Carolina League history to finish a half with a winning percentage of .700 or better, while their 50 wins are the second most in any half in league history:

1. 1980 Peninsula (1st) 51-19 .729

2. 2019 DOWN EAST (1st) 50-20 .714

T3. 1982 Peninsula (2nd) 49-20 .710

T3. 1983 Lynchburg (1st) 49-20 .710

5. 1994 Wilmington (1st) 48-20 .706

6. 1980 Peninsula (2nd) 49-21 .700

SHOWTIME: Former Wood Duck Pedro Payano made his Major League debut for the Rangers, June 6, becoming the eighth Wood Ducks to make it to The Show. Payano delivered a scoreless sixth inning against the Twins. He joins Ricardo Rodriguez, Jeffrey Springs, C.D. Pelham, and Brett Martin, Joe Palumbo, Pete Fairbanks, and Locke St. John. Down East has also had a player go from Adv.-A to the majors in one year in each of the three seasons (Rodriguez-'17, Pelham-'18, Fairbanks-'19).

RAGS AT THE HELM: Corey Ragsdale takes over as skipper for the Wood Ducks in 2019. Ragsdale will remain the Rangers Minor League Field Coordinator, while assuming a managerial seat for the first time since 2015, when he led the Hickory Crawdads to a South Atlantic League Championship, the second of his career.

Check out the Down East Wood Ducks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 27, 2019


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